El-Rufai Seeks Justice Aikawa's Removal from Trial

Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has formally petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria to remove Justice R.M. Aikawa from presiding over his trial.

El-Rufai faces ten counts of charges related to alleged abuse of office, money laundering, and fraud involving N579.6 million and $1.1 million. He argues that Justice Aikawa's continued involvement in the case poses a risk to the integrity of the judicial process, given the judge's pending disciplinary complaints and a history of unresolved allegations.

El-Rufai emphasizes that allowing Aikawa to handle the trial could undermine public confidence in the judiciary and compromise the integrity of the proceedings. He has urged the Chief Justice to take immediate action to reassign the case to another judge within the Kaduna division of the Federal High Court.

The bail hearing for the case is scheduled for April 14, with a petition date set for April 9, 2026.